Bus Riders Union gearing up for City Hall protest

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Members of L.A.'s Bus Riders Union were amassing on the steps of City Hall Wednesday morning for a noon protest against the million hours of transit service they say have been cut over the past four years.

Organizer Michelle Lopez said the group's plan was twofold: asking Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to help restore services and seeking the attention of President Barack Obama, who Lopez said should treat access to public transit as a civil right.

"Everyone uses the bus, workers, students, right?" Lopez said. "And we pay for that service. But right now, the MTA is not giving us the service we're paying for. So bus riders, can't rely on any bus right now, because they're late, they're overcrowded, and that's all because of the service cuts that have been happening. "

Minorities and low-income Angelinos have been the most affected by transit cuts, Lopez said.